Delaware 'Pulp Fiction' case wraps up

Subject of odd crime scene gets two years

Oct. 15, 2013

Trimell Hewyard

Written by

Sean O’Sullivan

The News Journal

Darrell Robinson Jr.

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When police arrived at the apartment, they found a man with injuries to his head and hands face-down on the kitchen floor screaming. His ankles were tied with a phone cord and his pants were pulled down to his knees. A broomstick was on the floor near him and a pot of water was boiling on the stove.

“I think that paints a pretty good picture,” said Deputy Attorney General Daniel McBride.

“It is one of the strangest cases I’ve had in 20 years,” said defense attorney Peter W. Veith.

Around the courthouse, it was known as the “Pulp Fiction” case, a reference to the 1994 Quentin Tarantino movie that featured an uncomfortably similar scene. The prosecution wrapped up this week with one of the men involved being sentenced to two years in prison and one walking free.

“My client is extremely fortunate that police arrived at the time they did,” said Delaware Public Defender Brendan O’Neill, who represented the man found on the floor.

It all started early on July 25, 2012, when police and prosecutors said 26-year-old Darrell Robinson Jr. of New Castle picked the wrong drug dealer to rob.

Investigators said Robinson arranged to make a significant marijuana purchase from Trimell Heyward at his Farrand Village Apartment on Deville Circle. When Robinson arrived to complete the transaction around 3 a.m., prosecutors said he pulled out a handgun and a struggle ensued.

Heyward kept a machete in the kitchen behind the trash, police said, and once Robinson was inside, Heyward grabbed it and struck Robinson in the hand, knocking away the gun.

Heyward, 37, overpowered the bleeding Robinson and summoned others in the apartment to tie Robinson’s ankles. As Robinson started pleading, Heyward told Robinson that he was going to “teach him a lesson,” while demanding to know who set him up and “Where are your boys?” according to police and court records.

Heyward pulled Robinson’s pants down to around his knees and put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Robinson testified Heyward threatened to scald him with boiling water and sexually assault him with the broomstick.

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According to the affidavit of probable cause, just as Heyward was making arrangements to have someone collect the drugs in his apartment and take them away, New Castle County Police, called by a neighbor 30 minutes earlier, arrived.

In addition to the bound, bloody and screaming Robinson, police also found 206 grams of marijuana, 37 grams of crack cocaine and hundreds of pills.

Robinson was charged with attempted robbery, home invasion, first-degree burglary and two weapons counts. Heyward was charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, a weapons charge and drug charges including possession with intent to deliver.

“From our perspective, both committed crimes and we prosecuted accordingly,” said Deputy Attorney General Jamie McCloskey.

Heyward admitted to two drug dealing counts in a plea deal. Robinson went to trial last month and was acquitted by a jury on all counts. He testified at trial that he did not go to the unit to rob and it was Heyward who became violent when a dispute arose over the amount and price of the marijuana.

O’Neill, who represented Robinson, said he argued to the jury that the state’s witnesses, including Heyward, were unreliable and told contradictory stories. “And if you are not sure based on what we have heard here, what happened then the law requires you to acquit,” O’Neill said he told the jury.

“Ultimately it came down to witness credibility,” said McCloskey, who prosecuted Robinson. He said the state was disappointed with the outcome but respected the jury’s decision.

While Robinson walked free, O’Neill noted that his client still ended up spending 13 months in jail awaiting trial while Heyward was out on bail.

Heyward said he ever threatened Robinson with either the broomstick or the scalding water.

On Friday, Heyward was sentenced to two years in prison on the drug charges.

Veith, who represented Heyward, said from his point of view the victim ended up with a far harsher punishment. “The roles got flipped,” Veith said. “You can’t excuse his drug dealing but he was the victim of a violent home invasion, where his family was threatened. He cooperated fully with the state and police and ended up doing more time than the gunman.”

“It was odd case to say the least, but we were satisfied with the way the Heyward case resolved,” said McBride.